If x and y are integers and y = |x + 3| + |4 - x|, does y equals 7?

If x and y are integers and y = |x + 3| + |4 - x|, does y equal 7?

\(y=|x+3|+|4-x|\) two check points: \(x=-3\) and \(x=4\) (check point: the value of \(x\) when expression in || equals to zero), hence three ranges to consider:

A. \(x<{-3}\) --> \(y=| x + 3| +|4-x| =-x-3+4-x=-2x+1\), which means that when \(x\) is in the range {-infinity,-3} the value of \(y\) is defined by \(x\) (we would have multiple choices of \(y\) depending on \(x\) from the given range);

B. \(-3\leq{x}\leq{4}\) --> \(y=|x+3|+|4-x|=x+3+4-x=7\), which means that when \(x\) is in the range {-3,4} the value of \(y\) is \(7\) (value of y does not depend on value of \(x\), when \(x\) is from the given range);

C. \(x>{4}\) --> \(y=|x+3|+|4-x|=x+3-4+x=2x-1\), which means that when \(x\) is in the range {4, +infinity} the value of \(y\) is defined by \(x\) (we would have multiple choices of \(y\) depending on \(x\) from the given range).

Hence we can definitely conclude that \(y=7\) if \(x\) is in the range {-3,4}


(1) \(x<4\) --> not sufficient (\(x<4\) but we don't know if it's \(\geq{-3}\));
(2) \(x>-3\) --> not sufficient (\(x>-3\) but we don't know if it's \(\leq{4}\));

(1)+(2) \(-3<x<4\) exactly the range we needed, so \(y=7\). Sufficient.

Answer: C.

OR: looking at \(y=|x+3|+|4-x|\) you can notice that \(y=7\) (\(y\) doesn't depend on the value of \(x\)) when \(x+3\) and \(4-x\) are both positive, in this case \(x-es\) cancel out each other and we would have \(y=|x+3|+|4-x|=x+3+4-x=7\). Both \(x+3\) and \(4-x\) are positive in the range \(-3<{x}<4\) (\(x+3>0\) --> \(x>-3\) and \(4-x>0\) --> \(x<4\)).

Hope it's clear.
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Guys, the be low is my approcah for any modulus qtn in GMAT.

Remember.
The meaning of |x-y| is "On the number line, the distance of X from +Y"
The meaning of |x+y| is "On the number line, the distance of X from -Y"
The meaning of |x| is "On the number line, the distance of X from 0".

Qtn:

for integers X and Y, If y=|x+3| + |4-x|, does y equals 7
==> is the SUM of the distance b/e x and -3 , and x and 4 equals to 7?
==> .........-3......0...........4..... observe that X has to be anywhere b/w -3 and 4 or on any of these points for the total distance to be 7

Stmnt1: X < 4: Answer could be Yes if X is < 4 and b/w -3 and 4 but from the given information (i.e X<4) X could be some where left to -3 in which case the total distance would be > 7 hence insufficient.

......X....-3......0..........4 answer to the qtn: NO
or ............-3...X...0.........4 answer to the qtn: YES

Stmnt2: X > -3: Answer could be Yes if X is > -3 and b/w -3 and 4 but from the given information (i.e X>-3) X could be some where right to 4 in which case the total distance would be > 7 hence insufficient.
..........-3......0..........4...X... answer to the qtn: NO
or ..........-3...X...0.........4 answer to the qtn: YES

1&2


X must be b/w -3 and 4
..........-3.X.X.X...0.X.X.X.X.X...4...... answer is always YES..hence Sufficient.

Answer C.

Hope it helps

if x and y are integers and y=|x+3| +|4-x|, does y equal 7

If we carefully look at the question we can see that "does y equal 7" actually means that y doesn't depend on x and then you can see that if we open two moduli with same signs (++ or --), x and -x disappear and 3+4 is 7. So, let's see when we can open moduli ++ or --:

++) x>-3 and x<4 or x e (-3,4)
--) x<-3 and x>4 - it can't be.

So, if x between -3 and 4, y =7. Now, look at our statements: it is obvious that we need two statements.

C.

Let's first solve |x+3|+|4-x|=7 to answer "when is this true ?"

You can solve algebraically but it is much easier to do it using a simple number line approach. Remember |x-a| means distance between x and a on the number line
Here the two points in question are -3 and 4
Now it is easy to imagine the three cases that x is to the left of -3, between -3 and 4 and to the right of 4. The only case when the two distances add up to the distance between -3 and 4, ie, 7 is case two. In case 1 and 3, the sum will exceed 7

1) could mean case 2 or 3. Not sufficient
2) could mean case 1 or 2. Not sufficient
1+2) can only mean case 2. Sufficient to know that y=7

Answer is (c)
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Either choice by itself is clearly insufficient:

(1) If x = 3, y = |3+3| + |4-3| = 7. If x = -100, then y = 97 + 104 = 201.
(2) If x = -2, y = 1 + 6 = 7. If x = 100, then y = 103 + 96 = 199.

Putting them together, you can quickly check every integer value of x from -3 to 4 and see that y = 7 for every one. It's only 6 values to check, you can do it very quickly in your head.

(C)

thanks bunuel. always great explanations!!

Bunuel rocks, cheers mate

At bunuel,

A. x<{-3} --> y=| x + 3| +|4-x| =-x-3+4-x=-2x+1, which means that when x is in the range {-infinity,-3} the value of y is defined by x (we would have multiple choices of y depending on x from the given range);

B. -3\leq{x}\leq{4} --> y=|x+3|+|4-x|=x+3+4-x=7, which means that when x is in the range {-3,4} the value of y is 7 (value of y does not depend on value of x, when x is from the given range);

C. x>{4} --> y=|x+3|+|4-x|=x+3-4+x=2x-1, which means that when x is in the range {4, +infinity} the value of y is defined by x (we would have multiple choices of y depending on x from the given range).

I understand the how you got the check points -3 and 4 but I am having a hard time understanding how to decide sign for x when you are removing absolute value symbol
for example for
(A) x<-3 y=| x + 3| +|4-x|
how did you decide sign of "x" here ===> -x-3+4-x
-2x+1

Similarly can u also explain for (B) and (C)

thank you!

-K

Absolute value properties:
When \(x\leq{0}\) then \(|x|=-x\), or more generally when \(some \ expression\leq{0}\) then \(|some \ expression|\leq{-(some \ expression)}\). For example: \(|-5|=5=-(-5)\);

When \(x\geq{0}\) then \(|x|=x\), or more generally when \(some \ expression\geq{0}\) then \(|some \ expression|\leq{some \ expression}\). For example: \(|5|=5\);

So, for example if \(x<-3\) then \(x+3<0\) and \(4-x>0\) which means that \(|x+3|=-(x+3)\) and \(|4-x|=4-x\) --> \(|x+3|+|4-x|=-(x+3)+4-x=-2x+1\).

Similarly for B and C.

Hope it's clear.
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MOD questions always floor me.
Could you please suggest some good material on MODs?

Check Absolute Value chapter of Math Book: math-absolute-value-modulus-86462.html

DS questions on absolute value to practice: search.php?search_id=tag&tag_id=37
PS questions on absolute value to practice: search.php?search_id=tag&tag_id=58

Tough absolute value and inequity questions with detailed solutions: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939.html

Hope it helps.
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Thinking of modulus as distances

|x+3| => distance of x from -3
|x-4| => distance of x from 4

Picture the same on the number line

________-3_____________0_________________4__________

We are given that y is the sum of the distance of x from -3 & of x from 4

Hence y could be anywhere on the number line

For y=7, let us consider the possibilities

Case (1)

_____x______-3_____________0_________________4__________

As you can quickly conclude
Its impossible for the distance to be 7 if x < -3
Take x = -4 and check,
y = 1 + 8 = 9


Case (2)


_________-3_____________0_________________4_____x_____

As you can quickly conclude
Its impossible for the distance to be 7 if x >4
Take x = 5 and check,
y = 8 + 1 = 9

Hence the range for y = 7 has to be in third case

__-3_____________x_________________4_____
i.e. -3<x<4

So we need to find if -3<x<4 ????

(1) x < 4
Insuff



(2) x > -3
Insuff


(3) Combining - -3<x<4

Bang-on.

Hence C

I mean that combining both statements x is between -3 and 4 , so I plugged all the values in this range in both 2x-1 and -2x+1 giving the range of Ys -5 to 5

y is equal to 1-2x only when x<-3.
y is equal to 2x-1 only when x>4.

When -3<x<4, then y is equal to 7.
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Hey nishitraj,

Little confused here could you explain by picking numbers for statement 1 and 2.

Hi...

y=|x+3|+|4-x|

Without solving you can say for all values between -3 and 4, y will be 7 as any increase in x in one mod will be negated with decrease in other mod..

Let's see the statements
1) x<4...
Take x as 0..
y=|0+3|+|4-0|=3+4=7
Take x as -5
y=|-5+3|+|4-(-5)|=|-2|+|9|=2+9=11
So different answers
Insufficient
2) x>-3
Take x as -2
y=|-2+3|+|4-(-2)|=|1|+|4+2|=1+6=7
Take x as 7
y=|3+7|+|4-7|=10+3=13
Different answers
Insufficient

Combined sufficient

C
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